Spring Training is here and baseball fan rejoiced. The games themselves aren't that great. The everyday players get in for a few innings, the starting pitchers throw three or four innings, and then there's a ton of no name minor league players just being happy to be there. I've been to a couple of Spring Training games and they are fun to go to. You get close to the game, but you have to know that you aren't going to see all the great players.
With Opening Day inching closer and closer, teams are starting to take shape. Players are starting to get sent to minor league camps or teams and starting rotations are getting in order. Unless you're the Detroit Tigers. There have been rumors since the Winter Meetings about teams inquiring about Rick Porcello. The whole thing seems to have started last year when Drew Smyly came out of nowhere to patch together a fairly decent season in the midst of injuries. Now he and Porcello are fighting for the fifth spot in the rotation. The talking heads seem to think shipping Porcello off for bullpen help is the best option and leave Smyly the fifth starter. I disagree. Why not keep both?
Porcello broke out with the Tigers at the age of twenty in 2009 and he's been kicking around ever since. According to many, apparently, he was touted as a top of the rotation kind of guy coming out of high school. But who hasn't been? Prospects in baseball are the scariest thing for a fan. You'll either end up with a bust or the best thing since sliced bread. With his style of pitching, he relies on the defense behind him to help out. Despite not having a spry defense, he can be a fifth starter that can get the win. Usually I look at the fifth starter as the guy pitching before the ace and can chalk up the game in the loss column. With Porcello, it's about fifty-fifty (48-42 career record). While it is not the greatest endorsement, would you rather have a different fifth starter every other month? Am I right Twins fans?
While Smyly had a nice rookie season last year, I'm not comfortable with him in the rotation. Yet. I think he has potential to be in the rotation, but not until the Tigers are officially done with Porcello. In my opinion, Smyly would be better served in the bullpen for a long inning reliever. And a spot starter if needed. It would be comforting to me if he was in the bullpen and available as a fallback for an injured starting pitcher. Plus, we fans wouldn't have to worry about a pitching prospect coming up from Toledo to get torched only to be sent back down later that day with no self confidence left in him.
If I were the general manager, and who doesn't do this, this is what I would do. Ship Smyly to the bullpen for the year and keep Porcello in the rotation for the year. If everything goes well, look at moving Porcello after the year. Get whatever help is needed (shortstop, reliever) and maybe stock up on some prospects. The Tigers aren't going to get a top prospect for Porcello, but if the team is able to get a few mid-level prospects, what's the harm? Especially if Smyly proves himself able to anchor down the last spot in the rotation. And if he isn't, why not look at moving him instead of Porcello? The team wouldn't get as much interest, but everyone is always looking for a lefty.
Need another reason why the Tigers need to keep Rick Porcello around? He body slammed Kevin Youkilis.
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